David Yepsen ( DM Register) - A Lot At “Steak” In Iowa (his take on the candidates speeches)

[Debi]

http://blogs.dmregister.com/?p=8735

<snip>

Obama talked about how health care has been on the nation’s agenda “for decades” and how it hasn’t happened.

<snip>

Edwards talked about how the party didn’t need a “corporate Democrat” as the nominee.

For her part, Clinton did not respond in kind.

<snip>

Richardson gave the best overall speech of the day. He was forceful. He was specific. He gave good sound bites. It’s clear the New Mexico governor is getting better on the stump as the campaign wears on. If one of the top three contenders stumbles, Richardson’s in a position to move up.

Dodd had the most humorous lines of the day as he talked about “sucking up” to Harkin by being at the event.

Biden went last and he quieted the crowd with his sobering assessments of the war in Iraq and the stakes involved for the nation. As he started, the clouds literally drifted in over the event. It didn’t dampen enthusiasm, but it was a poetic reminders of what’s at stake in this election.

Dodd and Biden may be at 1 percent but activist Democrats are still paying attention to what they say and it’s still too early to be dismissive of their chances.

[redqueen]

1. "it’s still too early to be dismissive of their chances"

Don't tell the centrists at DU that!

If you're not in double digits NOW then GET THE FUCK OUT, YA JOKERS! :puke:


What was Clinton polling at at this point?

[Debi]

2. As I've said before at this time in 2003 the top three were Lieberman, Gephardt and Dean

the majority of Iowans did not make a final decision on a candidate until the last three weeks before the caucus.

As for Clinton's polling - did you mean Bill Clinton in 1991? or do you mean how is Hillary Clinton polling today?

[redqueen]

4. Bill in 91

Obviously Hillary has an advantage that her husband did not.

[Debi]

6. I don't know that there was any polling done in 1991 b/c Tom Harkin was running

so no other candidate really competed. Clinton came in third in the Iowa Caucuses (not that that says anything about how he was doing in September before the caucuses).

[redqueen]

7. I don't know how he was doing... but he hadn't even announced yet. n/t

[Debi]

10. Well, tells you how much attention I was paying in 1991!

:hi:

(although announcing doesn't seem to be a criteria for polling - after all, Gore hasn't announced and he's still listed in polling calls)

[redqueen]

11. Yup... but Gore already has built-in national name recognition.

An advantage Bill did not have. :hi:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. Clinton Didn't Contest IA In 92 Because Harkin Was Running

I'm trying to channel that race but I think Clinton was the pre-primary season favorite...

[flpoljunkie]

5. Yepsen's take on Hillary Clinton: Don't be surprised if come December, many Iowa Dems desert her...

September 16th, 2007 :: 6:56 PM

For her part, Clinton did not respond in kind. She probably figures she doesn’t need to mix it up too much with people whose support she’s going to need after winning the nomination. But that could be a risky strategy for a frontrunner who faces questions about her electability. Clinton really didn’t address that issue, which is the single biggest impediment she faces as she hunts votes in the caucuses.

She may be leading in national polls now, but don’t be surprised if, come December, many Iowa Democrats desert her for another candidate simply because they don’t think she can win. (That same thing happened to Howard Dean in December, 2003. People liked what he had to say, he led in the polls but crashed late in the game when droves of people said the guy would be a loser in November.)

Unless Clinton convinces Iowa Democrats she can go the distance in November, she’ll may have that same difficulty on caucus night and she missed a good opportunity to deal head on with the issue.

Instead, she came at it through a side door. She talked about being the first woman with a serious chance at winning the presidency. That’s not a bad strategy, considering how a majority of caucus goers and voters are women. She’s hoping to attract support from those voters who think it’s “about time” or it’s “our turn.”

http://blogs.dmregister.com/?p=8735

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. Two Points

It's amazing how full of himself Mr. Yepsen is and it's ironic that he cites the fact that Iowans dumped Dean for Kerry because they thought Dean couldn't win... Given that history wouldn't it be prudent for him to suggest voters to vote for the best candidate and not try to be handicappers...

I have met some nice people from IA here but if it wasn't for the primacy of IA in the nominating process few people would care about Mr. Yepsen's prognostications...

[Debi]

12. Mr. Yespen's nickname by those who do not like him is

"The Overrated One"

Here's a (pretty inactive) blog dedicated to 'surviving yepsen' http://survivingyepsen.blogspot.com/

Like him or not, he and Mike Glover (AP) hold a place in Iowa political writing - and by the looks of the responses to his blog posts - he's read far outside of Iowa's boarders.

[jillan]

9. Interesting - I didn't have the same feeling about Richardson, altho

I know many in yesterday's discussion were impressed with him.

I kinda felt like he got up there and gave a list of talking points.

But - hey - that's just one person's opinion.

[Debi]

13. He gave a rally speech - and since he was at a rally with 12,000 in attendance

it went over well. Not much substance, but a lot of rah rah

[jillan]

14. Here' s to hoping

that someone else learned how to do a little cheerleading yesterday.

Maybe I should mail Biden some pom-poms and a blowhorn :eyes:

He gave a dynamic speech yesterday, but it could have used a little of
that rah rah.

[Debi]

15. My son's best buddy attended as an Edwards supporter

and he called to say he was nicknaming Biden 'Debi Downer' for his speech. I asked if he meant the crowds reaction or the solemnity of the speech - he said it was too 'deep' for the event. Can't argue too much there - I don't know if I've ever heard Biden give a rah rah speech?!?

I liked Richardson and Edwards hit homer after homer w/the crowd. I wasn't happy about Clinton "I'm running as a woman" speech. Are we women traitors to our race now if we don't vote for her? :shrug: Obama gave the same speech that he gave at the Labor event in Cedar Rapids in August - which was good but I kind of tuned it out since I had already heard it.

[Carrieyazel]

16. Richardson excels at those rally type of speeches

He also gave the best speech at the DNC Meeting last winter, and at numerous other forums. This is definitely the kind of atmosphere that he does well in.

I thought Hillary's speech was mediocre at best.